Patterning means for circular knitting machines



May 7, 1968 w. H. IMBODEN ETAL 3,331,499

MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE PATTERNING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1964 INVENTOR.

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PATTERNING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15. 1964 n J 4 mw n m wgm /A mhm MDT May 7, 1968 w. H. IMBODEN ETAL 3,381,499

PATTERNING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 P T c:: 7.;

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PATTERNING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Dec. 15, 1964 38.1w 6 En El INVENTOR Walter H. lmboden Richard M. Janda James H. 80 er, J: MQZZN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,381,499 PATTElliNlNG MEANS FOR (IlRCULAR KNlTTlNG MACHENES Walter H. lmhoden, Richard M. .llanda, and James H. Boyer, J22, Reading, Pa, assignors to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania lFiied Dec. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 418,460 3 Claims. (Cl. 6648) ABSMACT OF THE DESCLUSURE The invention disclosed herein relates to a circular knitting machine having a main knitting station with stitch cams for knitting fabric courses in both rotary and reciprocatory operation of the machine and at least one auxiliary knitting station with a stitch cam for knitting fabric courses only in rotary operation of the machine, the auxiliary knitting station having means for selectively controlling the operation of the needles to form design stitches in the fabric courses and also being adapted to select the needles during forward strokes of reciprocation to form design stitches in the fabric courses knit during reverse strokes of reciprocation at the main station and the stitch cams at the main station being adapted to draw stitches of one length in the courses knit in one direction of reciprocation and stitches of a different length in the courses knit in strokes in the other direction of reciprocation.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines adapted for both rotary and reciprocatory operation to knit tubular fabrics such as ladies hosiery and more particularly to an improved means for and method of forming design stitch patterns in portions of the fabrics knitted during reciprocatory operation of such machines.

Heretofore in circular knitting machines for knitting fine gauge ladies hosiery and particularly such machines having a plurality of knitting stations, one of the stations usually designated the main station was provided with cams for operating the needles during both rotary and reciprocatory operation of the machine and the other stations commonly designated as auxiliary stations were provided with means for ope-rating the needles only during rotary operation of the machine. Conventionally the main and auxiliary stations were in operation to form the rotary knitted portions of the hosiery and only the main station was in operation to form the reciprocatory knitted heel and toe portions of the hosiery. The knitting stations were also provided with means in the form of jacks for selectively operating the needles to form design stitch patterns in the rotary knit portions of the hosiery and the latter means was inactivated at both the main and auxiliary stations during reciprocatory operation at the main station. Thus while the machines were adapted to form both plain stitch fabric and design stitch patterns in the rotary knit portions of the hosiery only the formation of plain stitch fabric was permissible in reciprocatory knitted portions of the hosiery.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means in a circular knitting machine for forming design stitch patterns in ladies hosiery during both rotary and reciprocatory operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means at each knitting station of a multistation circular knitting machine for controlling the operation of the needles to form design stitch patterns in fabric knitted at the stations during rotary operation of the machine, the means at one of the stations also being adapted to control in part the operation of the needles to form design stitch patterns at another of the stations during reciprocatory operation of the machine.

A further object is the provision of means in a circular knitting machine having a main knitting station and at least one auxiliary knitting station for knitting fabric courses at each of the stations during rotary operation of the machine and for knitting fabric courses at the main station during reciprocatory operation of the machine, the means also including means for selectively controlling the operation of the needles at each station to form design stitches in the fabric courses at the stations during rotary operation of the machine, the selectively controlling means at the auxiliary station also being adapted to control the selection of the needles during reciprocatory knitting strokes of the machine in the rotary direction at the main station to form design stitches in the reciprocatory knitting strokes in a reverse direction at the main station,

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method of operating a multistation. circular knitting machine including the steps of operating the machine in reciprocatory strokes in opposite directions, operating the needles of the machine in a reciprocatory stroke in one of the directions at one of the stations to form a course of plain stitches, selecting needles at another station during the stroke in said one direction and operating the selected needles at the one station during a stroke in the opposite direction to form a course of tuck stitches.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a method of operating a multistation knitting machine having a needle cylinder and means for operating the needles to form courses of stitches during forward and reverse strokes of the cylinder at one of the stations, operating the needles and knitting courses of plain stitches of one length during forward strokes of the cylinder at the one station, selectively controlling the needles of another of the stations during the forward strokes of the cylinder following formation of the plain courses at the one station, and operating the selectively controlled needles at the one station to form design stitch courses of a different length during reverse strokes of the cylinder.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings the invention resides in the novel features of construction and cooperation of parts as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a. multifeed circular knitting machine having means according to the invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 4- of FIG. 1 and as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in cross section and partly in plan taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 5a5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line s s of FIG. 5;

FiG. 7 is a developed view of the: needle operating cams and jack selecting means of the machine as viewed when looking outwardly from the interior of the needle cylinder, parts shown in dotted outline indicating nonoperating parts and those shown in full line indicating operating parts as during a reciprocatory operation of the cylinder in a forward or counterclockwise direction;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but illustrating the parts as during reciprocatory operation of the cylinder in a reverse or clockwise direction; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the pattern jacks with a portion of the operating butt pattern for selecting the needles to form a 1 x l tuck stitch pattern in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8 of the drawings there is shown a circular knitting machine of common type having a circle of pivoted latch needles 1% which are mounted in slots in a cylinder 11 adapted for both rotary and reciprocatory operation, and main and auxiliary knitting stations indicated generally at 12 and 15, respectively (FIGS. 7 and 8). Station 12 is provided with yarn fingers, one of which is shown at 16 for feeding yarn to the needles 1t) and earns for operating on the butts 1'7 of the needles including a forward stitch cam 21) having a lower stitch drawing point 23 acting on the needles in rotary and forward movements of reciprocation of the needles, indicated by the arrows in FIG. 7, and a reverse stitch cam 21 preferably having a lower stitch drawing point 24. The stitch cam 21 is retractable in a usual manner from an active position, in which it acts to clear the needles during plain knitting in the rotary direction (the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7) and during reverse movements of reciprocation lowers the needles to knit in forming the heel and toe portions (indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8), to an inactive position to miss the needles during rotary operation of the needles to form design stitch patterns in the stocking fabrics. Also provided at the main station 12 is a center cam 22, an upthrow cam 25 associated with the forward stitch cam for raising the needles following stitch drawing movements in the forward direction, an upthrow cam 26 associated with the reverse stitch cam for raising the needles following stitch drawing in the reverse direction, a guard cam 29, and a center or needle leveling cam 31 intermediate the forward and reverse stitch cams. Associated with the stitch cams 20 and 21 are conventional up or narrowing picks 27 and 28, respectively, and a down or widening pick 30 which operate on the needles in a usual manner during fashioning of heel and toe portions of stocking fabrics knitted on the machine. Also associated with station 12 is a cam 32 for raising the needles to be inactivated to a high inactive level prior to knitting of the heel and toe, a cam 33 for lowering the needles selected to knit the toe while the remaining needles are being raised to a high inactive level by the cam 32 and a cam 35 for again lowering the high inactive needles to knitting position following formation of the heel and toe. The earns 32 and 35 are mounted for radial movement between active and inactive positions and the cam 33 is pivotally mounted for movement between active and inactive positions in a common manner.

Auxiliary station 15 is provided with yarn fingers, one of which is shown at 40, for feeding yarn to the needles and earns for operating on the butts of the needles only during rotary movements thereof including a forward stitch cam 41, an upper center cam 42 and an upthrow cam 45 for raising the needles following stitch drawing movements in the forward direction. The stitch cam 41 and center cam 42 are radially retractable to inactive positions to inactivate station 15 during reciprocatory knitting of the heel and toe at the main station in a common manner.

The forward stitch cam 20 at station 12 has a fixed upper portion 46 and a lower portion 47 which is adapted to be moved between a full-in position in which it acts on the butts of all of the needles and a partially retracted position in which it acts on the butts of certain ones of a special group of needles while missing the other needles of the group for locking the ends of the yarns at station 15 when it is activated and inactivated generally in the manner set forth in British Patent No. 895,672, published May 2, 1962. For so moving the lower portion 47 of the stitch cam 2t? between its active and partially retracted positions, portion 47 is secured to one end of a member 51) slidably mounted for movement radially of the cylinder 11 in a bracket 51 carried on a plate 52 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which forms a part of the frame work of the machine. At its other end, member carires a stud 55 having a portion of reduced diameter for engagement in an elongated slot 56 formed in a member 57 connected to one end of a Bowden wire 68. The other end of the Bowden wire 60 is connected to a pattern lever which is one of a group of similar pattern levers 62 operated from a cam drum 63 of the machine (FIG. 2). A spring 61 connected between the bracket 51 and stud 55 normally maintains the stud against one end of the slot 56 in member 57 during movement thereof by Bowden wire 60 to move the member 5% and cam portion 47 between their active and partially retracted positions. The member 50 is also adapted to be operated independently of the member 57 and the Bowden wire 66 to move the cam portion 47 to a fully retracted position at times by means of and for purposes hereinafter set forth.

During plain knitting at the main and auxiliary stations, with the cylinder rotating in the forward direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7, the needles 10 approach the main station 12 along a low path 65, commonly refered to as the tucking path or level, then rise over the reverse stitch cam 21 which is an active position at this time to a stitch clearing level 66 to clear previously formed stitches on the needles below the latches thereof. The needles are then lowered by the center cam 22 to take yarn of finger 16 and as the needles continue their movement they are lowered by the upper portion 46 and lower portion 47, which is in full-in active posi tion at this time, of the stitch cam 20 to draw new stitches and to knock over the previously formed stitches on the needles. After passing the lowest point of the cam 20 the needles are again raised to the tuck level by the cam 25. During continued movement of the cylinder 12 all of the needles as they approach auxiliary station 15 are raised to a high clearing path or level 68 to clear the previously formed stitches thereon, by means hereinafter set forth, and the needles are then lowered by the cam 42, which is in active position at this time, to take the yarn of finger 40 at station 15. The needles are then lowered by the stitch cam 41, which is also in active position at this time, to draw new stitches and knock over the previously formed stitches thereon and again raised to tuck level by the cam 45.

The means for raising the needles 10 to the latch clearing level 68 at the auxiliary station 15 includes pattern jacks 67 (FIGS. 7 and 8) which are of the rocking type which act through intermediate jacks 70', there being a pattern jack and an intermediate jack in the slots in the cylinder for each needle 10. Each of the jacks 67 has a lower butt or lug 71 adapted for engagement with a raising cam 72 at the auxiliary station 15 when the lower ends of the jacks are rocked outwardly through engagement of a presser cam 75 with upper portions 76 of the jacks. The presser cam 75 is moved between inactive and active position to act on the jacks in a common manner. Following at raising movement of the jacks 67, jacks 7d and needles 10 by the cam 72 at the auxiliary station the jacks are again returned to their lowermost position by a cam surface 77 which acts on butts 80 on the jacks 70.

The pattern jacks are also adapted to be controlled so that only selected ones of the jack-s are raised by the cam 72 at the auxiliary station to raise their associated needles to the latch clearing level 68 while the other needles remain at the tucking level 65 determined by the cam 25, for purposes of forming design stitch patterns in the stocking fabrics. For so selecting the jacks they are provided with usual breakable pattern butts 8d at a plurality of levels which are adapted to be engaged by selector levers 82 to again move the lugs 71 out of the path of the cam 72 after the jacks have been rocked outwardly by the presser cam 75. Thus the jacks on which the butts 81 are unbroken are acted on by the selector levers 32 while those jacks having their butts removed are raised by the cam 72 to move their associated needles to clearing level. The selector levers 8-2 are operated by a trick drum such as shown at 85 (FIG. 2) when in active position and are moved both individually and in groups between their active and inactive positions by pattern means of the machine not shown herein.

The needles may also be selectively controlled at station 12 through the jacks 67 and 76 in the same manner as at station for the purpose of forming design stitch formations in the courses formed at station 12. The means for this purpose includes a raising cam 86, similar to cam 72, for raising the jacks 67, a presser cam 87 acting on the upper portions 7 6 of the jacks 6 7, a cam surface 91 acting on the butts 80 of the intermediate jacks 70 for lowering these jacks and the jacks 6 7 raised by the raising cam 86, and selector levers 911 which are opera-ted by a trick drum, which is not shown herein but which is similar to the trick drum 85, when in active position in the same manner and for the same purpose as selector levers 8 2, as above set forth.

The raised cams 72 and 86 form a part of the usual jack cam system having guard cam portions intermediate the raise cams. The guard cam portions are provided with arcu'ate notches at the location of the presser cams 75 and 8 7 and selector levers 8 2 and 91 to permit outward movement of the lower ends of the jacks by the presser cams for selection by the selector levers. The notches are shaped to permit the jacks that are not moved inwardly by the selector levers to rise over the raise cams 72 and 86 during operation of the machine in the forward direction and to cam the jacks inwardly after being moved outwardly by the presser cams during operation of the machine in the reverse direction.

Conventionally in forming a stocking fabric on the machine it is operated in a rotary or run-down manner to form a turned Welt, afterwelt, leg and foot portions of the stocking and the machine is operated in a reciprocating manner to form the heel and toe portions of the stocking. To form plain stitch fabric in the rotary portions, yarns are fed at each of the stations 12 and 15 and movements of the needles are controlled at the main station 12 by the needle operating cams and at the auxiliary station 15 by both the needle operating cams, which are in active position at this time, and the jacks in the manner herein'before set forth. Where it is desired to form a pattern of tuck stitches in one of the rotary knit portions, the appropriate selector levers are activated at one of the stations to operate the jacks 6 7 to determine the needles that are to be operated to form plain stitches and the needles that are to form the tuck stitches and the other station is controlled to form courses of plain stitches. When the auxiliary station is set up to form tuck stitch courses, a plain course is first formed at the main station and the jack selecting means at station 15 is activated to control the selection of the needles to form the tuck stich pattern. When the main staion 12 is arranged to form the tuck stitch courses, plain courses are first formed at the auxiliary station 15 and the jack selecting means at station 12 is activated to control the selection of the needles to form the tuck stitch pattern and the reverse stitch cam 21 at station 12 is in retracted position to permit the needles selected to form the tuck stitches to remain at the tucking level .as they pass cam 21.

During the last rotary courses formed at stations 1-2 and 15 before the start of the heel, the lower portion 47 of the stitch cam at station 12 is partially retracted to control the special group of needles, as set forth in said British Patent 895,672, as they pass through the main station and the cam portion 47 is then again returned to its fully-in active position. The jack selecting means is conditioned to cancel the raising movement of the jacks associated with the special group of needles and the needles following this group and the special group of needles then take the trailing end of yarn at auxiliary station 15 and the auxiliary station is inactivated by retracting the cams 41 and 42 to inactive positions and removing the yarn finger 40 to inactive position. Also at this time the reverse stitch cam 21 is returned to active position if this cam was previously moved to inactive position, cam 32 is moved to a partially inserted active position to raise the instep needles to a high inactive path 92 (FIG. 7) and the machine is conditioned for reciprocatory operation. The first course of the heel is knit-ted during the first reciprocatory stroke of the cylinder which is in the reverse direction during which stroke all of the heel needles are cleared over the forward stitch cam 20 in the conventional manner and the end of the yarn of the inactivated auxiliary station 1-5 is locked into the fabric by the first heel course. During formation of subsequent courses of the heel, the heel needles are raised to clearing level over the reverse stitch cam in forward strokes of the cylinder and over the forward stitch cam is reverse strokes of the cylinder and the needles are manipulated by the picks 27, 2S and 3G to fashion the heel in the usual manner.

Following the formation of the last course of the heel which is also during a reverse stroke of the cylinder, cam 35 is moved to active position to lower the instep needles 10 from the high inactive path 92 and the machine is again conditioned for rotary operation. Thereafter, during the first rotary movement of the cylinder 11, the lower portion 47 of the forward stitch cam is again partially retracted to control the same or another similar special group of needles as they pass through the main station and the portion 47 is again returned to full-in active position. The yarn finger 40 at station 15 and cams 41 and 42 are activated, the special group of needles take the leading end of the yarn of finger 4t and the jack selecting means is conditioned to cause the jacks to raise the needles following the special group of needles to take and knit the yarn of finger 40 to activate station 15. Thereafter during continued operation of the machine to knit the foot portion one of the stations forms plain stitch courses and the other station forms the tuck courses to continue the design stitch pattern through he foot portion. A few courses prior to the start of the toe the auxiliary station is again inactivated in the same manner as before the start of the heel and during the formation of the last rotary course of the main station before the start of the toe the cam 32 is moved to full-in active position to engage and direct the needles in the heel portion of the cylinder to the high inactive path 92 and cam 33 is moved to an active position to lower the instep needles below cam 32 so that the latter needles remain in active position to be operated to knit the toe porion.

In accordance with the instant invention, means are also provided to control the needles to form tuck stitch patterns in the reciprocatorily knit heel and toe portions of the stocking at station 12, this means being operative irrespective of the type of stitch formation in the rotary knit areas. For this purpose cerain of the selector levers 82 of the jack selecting means associated with auxiliary station 15 are arranged to act on the jacks during forward reciprocatory strokes of the cylinder to select the needles that are to follow the high clearing path and those needles that are to follow the low or tucking path during reverse reciprocatory strokes of the cylinder. The selector levers are moved from inactive to active position to be acted on by the trick drum 85 in the conventional manner and are then moved from active to inactive positions during each reverse reciprocation of the cylinder as hereinafter set forth. Following each reciprocatory stroke of the cylinder in the forward direction. to form a course of the heel (or toe) the selector levers 82 function to select the jacks that are to raise their needles to a clearing level and the needles that are to tuck remain in the tucking path to which they were raised by the upthrow 7 cam 25. Thereafter during the reverse stroke of the cylinder the needles in the cleared level must rise over the forward stitch cam to form plain stitches and the needles in the tucking level are directed along a path beneath the cam 20 to form the tuck stitches in the manner hereinafter set forth.

FIG. 9 diagrammatically illustrates a butt pattern on the jacks in the cylinder to form a 1 x 1 stitch pattern in the heel and toe of the stocking. The butt pattern is arranged in the uppermost two butt levels in the left part of the figure which is designated the heel part of the cylinder and the butt pattern is arranged in the next two lower butt levels in the right part of the figure which is designated the toe par of the cylinder. The butt pattern in the two parts of the cylinder are acted on by the upper four selector levers 82 of the jack selecting means associated with the auxiliary station 15.

The upper four selector levers 82 are initially moved from their inactive position to their active position as a group by the cam drum 63 in the conventional manner and the group of selector levers is then moved between active and inactive positions during reverse reciprocatory strokes of the cylinder 11 by means now to be described. For this purpose the group of selector levers is acted on by a lever secured on a pin 96 pivotally mounted in a bracket 97 secured to a bed plate 100 (FIG. 1) also forming a part of the framework of the machine. The lever 95 carries a stud 101 having an enlarged head 102 and a portion 105 of reduced diameter intermediate the head and lever 95 for engagement in a slot 106 in a member 107 connected to one end of a Bowden wire 110 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 6). The other end of Bowden Wire 1141 is connected to one of the levers 62 which is operated by a cam on the cam drum 63 to turn lever 95 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 5 to move selector levers 82 to I their inactive positions. When the cam on the main cam drum is moved out of engagement with the lever 62 a spring 111 connected to the lever 95 turns the latter clockwise to restore levers 82 to active position and to bring the portion 105 of the stud 101 against one end (the righthand end as viewed in FIG. 5) of the slot 106 in member 107.

The lever 95, after being so moved to activate the selector levers 82 for operation by the trick drum 85 is also adapted to be moved counterclockwise about the pin 96 independently of the Bowden wire 110 to inactivate the selector levers during reverse strokes of reciprocation of the cylinder 11. For this purpose, lever 95 is pivotally connected by a link 112 to one arm 115 of lever 116 pivotally mounted on a stud 117 carried in an upright member 120 supported on the bed plate 100 and forming a part of the machine frame (FIGS. 1 and 2). A second arm 121 of lever 116 is adapted to engage a collar 122 secured to a rod 125 mounted for vertical movement in the framework of the machine. The lower end of rod 125 is adjustably connected to the enlarged head of a stud 126 (FIG. 4) pivotally carried in the free end of one arm 127 of a lever 130 pivoted on a stud or pin 131 mounted in the machine framework (FIG. 1). A second arm 132 carries a roller type cam follower 135 for engagement with a cam member 136 secured to one face of a gear 137. The gear 137, which is connected to and operates the cylinder 11 during reciprocatory operation of the machine, makes one complete rotation during a forward and reverse stroke of the cylinder in a conventional manner. The cam member 136 as shown in FIG. 1, is approximately 180 in length and is positioned to act on the follower 135 during reverse strokes of the cylinder to turn lever 130 clockwise to raise rod 125. The rod 125 in turn acts through collar 122 to turn lever 116 counterclockwise to operate lever 95 to move the selector levers to inactive position. During forward strokes of the cylinder, the roller rides off of the cam member 136 and at this time lever 130 is turned counterclockwise to lower the ro 125 which permits spring 111 to turn levers 116 and 95 to permit the selector levers to return to active position. A set screw 140 adjustably carried in the end of arm 127 is adapted to engage a plate 141 mounted in fixed position on a portion of the machine frame (FIG. 1) to limit movement of lever 130 in the counterclockwise direction when the follower 135 is out of engagement with the cam member 136.

In order to direct the needles moved to the clearing level 68 by the jacks over the forward stitch cam 20 and to direct the needles remaining in the tuck level below the forward stitch cam during the reverse strokes of the cylinder, the left end of the fixed upper portion 46 of cam 20 is extended upwardly and toward the left from the stitch drawing surface of the cam to form a point 138 lying intermediate the butts 17 on the needles in the tucking and cleared levels of the needles. Thereupon, during movements of the cylinder in reverse strokes, the needles raised to clearing level 68 rise over an upper surface 139 of the stitch cam 20 in the conventional manner while the needles selected to remain at the tucking level are lowered by a surface 143 below the point 133 to pass beneath the upper portion 46 of cam 20 in the manner hereinafter set forth.

Raising movements of the rod 125 by the action of cam member 136 is also utilized to move the lower portion 47 of the forward stitch cam 20 from a full-in active position during forward reciprocatory strokes of the cylinder 11 to a fully inactive position during reverse reciprocatory strokes of the cylinder. For this purpose rod 125 is pivotally connected at its upper end to one arm 142 of a bell crank lever 145 pivotally mounted on stud 146 secured in a bracket 147 fixed on the member 120 as by bolts 150. A second arm 151 of the lever 145 is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with a tail piece 152 pivotally mounted on the lower end of the stud 55 in the member 50 when the tail piece is in its active position of FIG. 2 to move the member 50 and lower portion 57 of the cam 20 between its full-in active and retracted positions. The tail piece 152 is moved between its active position and an inactive position in which it is out of the path of movement of the arm 151 by an upstanding end 155 of one arm 156 of a lever 157 pivotally mounted on the upper end of pin 96 between the bracket 97 and the head of a bolt 160 threadably carried in the upper end of the pin (FIG. 3). A second arm 161 of the lever 157 is connected to a Bowden wire 162 which is connected to and operated by one of the pattern levers 62 from the cam drum 63. A spring 165 connected between the tail piece 152 and a fixed part of the frame maintains the tail piece 152 in engagement with the end 155 of arm 156. The end 155 also adjustably carries a stop 166 which is moved into the path of the member 50 to limit the retracting movement of the cam portion 47 by the Bowden wire 60 when the lever 157 is operated to move the tail piece out of the path of the arm 151 of lever 145. On the other hand when the lever 157 is moved to permit movement of the tail piece 152 to its position of FIG. 2, the stop 166 is moved out of the path of the member 50 to permit the movement of the member and cam portion 47 to fully retracted position by the lever 145 as above set forth.

The lever 130 is adapted to be arrested in its position of FIG. 1 during rotary operation of the cylinder 11 by a plate 167 (FIGS. 1 and 4) which is pivotally mounted on a stud 170 carried in a part of the machine frame for movement from an active supporting position beneath the set screw 140 to an inactive position to permit operation of the lever 130 in the manner hereinbefore set forth. The plate 167 is moved between its active and inactive positions by a Bowden wire 171 which is also connected to and operated by one of the pattern levers 62 from the cam drum 63.

During reciprocatory operation of the machine to form the heel and toe, the lever 95, the upper group of selector levers 82, the presser lever 75 at station and the trick drum 85 associated with the auxiliary station 15 is activated in the manner hereinbefore set forth. Also at this time the lever 157 is operated to permit movement of the tail piece to its active position of FIG. 2 and the plate 167 is removed from beneath the set screw 140 to permit operation of the rod 125. Thereafter during each forward stroke of the cylinder, the heel needles (or toe needles) are cleared over the reverse stitch cam 21 and are then lowered by the cam 22 to take yarn at main station 12. The needles are then lowered by the stitch cam to draw stitches for the new course. As the needles rise over the upthrow cam 25 the presser cam 75 acts to rock the lower ends of jacks 67 outwardly and the selector levers 82 act on the jack pattern to again rock the jacks associated with the needles that are to remain in the tucking level 65 inwardly while the other jacks and their needles are raised by the cam '72 to the clearing level 68. Prior to each reverse stroke of the cylinder, the rod 125 is raised by the cam member 136 to operate lever 95 to move the selector levers 82 to inactive positions and operate lever 145 to move the lower portion 47 of the stitch cam 20 to its fully retracted position. Thereupon as the cylinder is moved in its reverse stroke as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8, the needles in clearing level 68 rise over the upper portion 46 of stitch cam 20 and after taking yarn at station 12, these needles are lowered by the reverse stitch cam 21 to form new plain stitches and knock over the previously formed stitches thereon. On the other hand the needles in the tucking level 65 are lowered by the fixed upper portion 46 to the level of the lower surface thereof, indicated at 175 in FIG. 8 and then rise over cam 31. As the latter needles continue to move in the reverse direction they take the yarn of station 12 and are then lowered by the reverse stitch cam 21 to form the tuck stitches. All of the active needles after passing the lowest point of the cam 21 are then raised to tucking level over the upthrow cam 26. During this movement of the cylinder in the reverse direction although the presser cam 75 remains in active position to rock the lower ends of the jacks outwardly, the jacks are again rocked inwardly by the guard cam portion associated with the raise cam 72, as above set forth. During the next forward stroke of the cylinder all of the active needles are cleared over the reverse stitch cam 21 to clear the single and tuck stitches below the latches of the needles which are then knit or knocked olf the needles as new stitches are formed by the stitch cam 20'. As the needles knitting the heel (or toe) are reciprocated in opposite directions the number of needles is varied by the narrowing picks 27 and 28 and the widening pick 30 in the usual manner. Also the operation of the selecting means to determine the needles following the high path during reverse strokes of the cylinder is such as to cause the leading needles of the heel (or toe) group of needles to be in the high path 68 for operation by the pick 27 as shown in FIG. 7.

Following the formation of the last course of the heel which is in the reverse direction, the machine is again conditioned for rotary operation to knit the foot. As the machine starts to rotate in the forward direction the cam is moved to active position to return the needles in the high inactive path 92 to operating position and the lever 130 rides out of engagement with the cam member 136 to lower rod 125 which in turn permits the lower portion 47 of the forward switch cam to be moved to its full inactive position and permits the lever 95 to move the selector levers 82 to active position with respect to the trick drum 85. As the cylinder continues to rotate in the forward direction, the needles previously forming the heel are raised to clearing level over the reverse stitch cam 21 at station 12, the lever 95 is operated from the cam drum to inactivate the group of selector levers 82, the lever 157 is operated from the cam drum to move 10 the tail piece 152 out of the path of the arm 151 of lever 145 and the lower portion 47 of the cam 20 is moved to its partially retracted position from the cam drum to manipulate the group of locking needles in preparation for the return of the auxiliary station 15 to active condition, as hereinbefore set forth, to knit the foot portion of the stocking at both stations 12 and 15. During continued rotation of the cylinder, the cam member 136 engages and op- *rates lever 130 to raise the rod without affecting the operation of either lever 95 or member 50. While the lever is in engagement with the cam member 136 the plate 167 is moved beneath the set screw 140 by the cam drum 63 to arrest the lever 130 in its position of FIG. 1.

During knitting of the toe, the needles in the heel part of the cylinder are raised to follow the high inactive path 92 and the needles in the toe part of the cylinder remain in operation. When the toe is also to be provided with tuck stitches the parts are again conditioned to cause the needles to form plain stitch courses in forward strokes of reciprocation and to form stitch courses in the reverse strokes of reciprocation of the machine at the main station 12 in the manner above set forth. When the toe is to be knit of plain stitches in both directions of reciprocation the parts controlling the formation of the tuck stitch courses in the reverse strokes are maintained in inactive condition.

Where the tuck stitch pattern in the heel and toe is only for the purpose of providing an ornamental effect, the lower point 23 of the forward stitch cam 20 and point 24 of the reverse stitch cam 21 are at the same level to form stitches of the same length in both the plain courses drawn by the forward stitch cam and the tuck stitch courses drawn by the reverse stitch cam. However, when the tuck stitch pattern is to have both ornamental and nonrun characteristics the stitches in the plain courses are usually made shorter than the stitches in the tuck stitch courses. To obtain the short stitches in the plain stitch courses and longer stitches in the tuck stitch courses, the forward stitch cam is retained in its normal operating position to draw normal length stitches while the reverse stitch cam is designed to retain the upper surface thereof in normal needle clearing level while lowering the lower surfaces and point 24 of the cam in relation to the point 23 on cam 20 to draw the longer stitches required in the tuck stitch courses.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a main knitting station and at least one auxiliary knitting station,

(a) a cylinder adapted for both rotary and reciprocatory operation,

(b) needles in said cylinder,

(c) a stitch drawing cam at said auxiliary station for operating said needles only during rotary operation of said cylinder in a forward direction,

((1) cam means at said main station for operating said needles during both rotary and reciprocatory operation of said cylinder including,

(e) a forward stitch cam having a fixed upper portion and a retractable lower portion for operating said needles during rotary operation in said forward direction and in reciprocatory strokes in said forward direction,

(f) a reverse stitch cam for operating said needles during reverse reciprocatory strokes of said cylinder,

(g) means for positioning said lower portion of said forward stitch cam in active position at said main station to operate said needles to form courses of plain stitches during forward strokes of reciprocation,

(h) means associated with said auxiliary station and operative during said forward strokes of reciprocation for selecting the needles that are to form plain stitches and the needles that are to form design stitches during each reverse stroke of reciprocation, and

(i) means for inactivating said selecting means at said auxiliary station during said reverse strokes of reciprocation, said last mentioned means also acting to retract said lower portion of said forward stitch cam at said main station to inactive position to permit said needles selected to form design stitches to follow a path beneath said upper portion of said forward stitch cam during said reverse strokes of reciprocation of said cylinder and said needles forming said plain stitches following a path above said upper portion of said forward stitch cam during said reverse strokes of reciprocation of said cylinder.

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which said means for inactivating said selecting means at said auxiliary station and for moving said lower portion of said forward stitch cam to inactive positon at said main station during reverse strokes of reciprocation of said cylinder is also operative to activate said selecting means and move said lower portion of said forward stitch cam to active positon during forward strokes of reciprocation of said cylinder.

3. A machine according to claim 1 in which said inactivating means includes:

(j) a common member connected to said selecting means and said lower portion of said forward stitch cam,

(n) means for moving said common means in a direction opposite to said one direction to activate said selecting means and move said lower portion of said forward stitch cam to active position during forward strokes of reciprocation of said cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 686,956 11/1901 Steber 66187 729,005 5/1903 Steber. 2,932,959 4/1960 Getaz 6648 3,131,556 5/1964 Nebel. 3,157,037 11/1964 Nebel et a1 661'78 3,205,683 9/1965 Coile 6642 X 3,226,953 1/1966 Good et al. 6650 X FOREIGN PATENTS 376,426 5/1923 Germany.

599,610 3/1948 Great Britain.

895,672 5/1962 Great Britain.

W. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner. 

